Inflatable traction device



May 13, 1958 c. w. WALTER INFLATABLE TRACTION 2 Sheets-Sheer. 1

Filed March 9 1954 May 13, 1958 c. w. WALTER INFLATABLE TRACTION fava-,22112024.- Cc'fZ W WaZef, 39%, www

@m YMMLM' Filed March 9, 1954 United States Patent O INFLATABLE TRACTION DEVICE Carl W. Walter, lolliston, Mass.

Application March 9, 1954, Serial No. 415,060

7 Claims. (Cl. 12S-84) This invention relates generally to article-holding devices and more particularly to devices for clasping or grasping variousv articles, particularly fragile or pressuresensitive articles, for holding, positioning, supporting or tensioning the same. It has application for example, and as herein shown and described, to the clamping and holding of a body member or limb, particularly for applying traction thereto, as incident to fracture-setting operations and otherwise.

The invention aims to provide for the seizing or gripping of a body member or other article for holding, supporting, traction-applying or other purposes.

The invention has for its further object the provision of a compact, lightweight and inexpensive holding device of simple design and durable construction, and which lends itself to easy, certain manipulation, and to uniform, universal, low-pressure seizure of the held article.

The application of traction to the various body portions,

members, or limbs, particularly the hands and feet, is a technique long employed for the setting of fractures; it may be useful also at times other than during operations. The various devices heretofore devised for the purpose have generally employed a sleeving which is applied to the ngers or toes and woven on the bias so as to clamp or grip the body member when `an `axial pulling or tract-ive force is applied. Commonly termed a lovers lock, the grip effected by these sleeving members is such as to cause excessive unit loading of the flesh; the result of their "use,

even when arranged for the simultaneous grasping of several fingers or toes, is often the impairment of circulation suilicient to cause gangrene. Moreover, with such multiple arrangement there is the added problem of equalizing the tractive force on the -several body members to which the sleeving is applied.

The invention embodiment herein disclosed as adapted particularly to such traction-applying will be seen to be free from the mentioned tendency to dangerous impairment of circulation and to apply gentle but llrm grasping pressure uniformly and universally to the body member, obtaining desired traction without injurious constriction of the flesh. It will be found also to permit desired visual observation of the limb to which it lis applied, while protectively enclosing the same.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side View of one embodiment of the invention appropriate to and shown as applied to the foot;

i 2,834,34 ice be drawn or received over and to envelop or embrace the article and more particularly the body member or limb to which it is intended to be applied. In the illustrative example, then, the envelope has a general shape and proportion adapting it for fitting about the heel, toe and ankle of the ifoot, and is provided with an opening 11 through which the-same may be introduced. Further in accordance with the invention, the envelope 10 is formed with double or inner and outer walls 12, 13, which walls are joined at their margins or edges so as to define therebetween a sealed fluid chamber 14. The bag 10 is thus Fig. 2 is a vertical section, looking from right to left,

taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 fashioned of a plurality of flexible sheets, which sheets may be juxtaposed and joined in various ways. In the present embodiment two like sheets 12, 13 are seen to be placed side by side and then folded over at the vertical or heel-enclosing margin 15, Fig. l. The free edges and more particularly the lateral top and bottom margins 16, 17 and the generally inclined or toe-enclosing margin 18 of the sheets is then brought together and joined or sealed in any convenient manner. If, for example, a plastic material is selected for the flexible sheets 12, 13, the sealing may be accomplished by dielectric means. It should be noted also that the opposite leaves of the folded inner sheet 11 are sealed together at the bottom and front margins 17, 18, but not at the top opening 11.

lFurther in accordance with the invention, means are provided for inilating and more particularly for supplying air or other gas pressure to the variable-volume lluid chamber 14 defined by and between the flexible sheets 12, 13. Such means are herein shown as a relatively short, small tube 19, desirably fashioned of the same material as the bag 10, and passed between and sealed to the walls 12, 13, herein at the front margin 18. A feature of the invention is the capacity of the device for lay-flat storage prior to use. It will be seen that the bag 10 may be llattened to the thickness of its double walls 12, 13 and then folded or rolled into a compact lightweight package. Thus the tube 19 is arranged to lie within the relatively narrow plane occupied by the bag when disengaged from the foot and collapsed.

The apparatus of the invention is distinguished further by provision for continuous, unrestricted visual observation of the held article, herein the body member subject to traction. Accordingly, my novel holding or grasping device -is fabricated in its entirety from transparent material. The bag 10 thus demands a material which is transparent as well as formable in thin, light, tough, and flexible sheets compatible with the llesh and also impervious to air or other gas. I prefer to employ polyvinyl chloride, which is a plastic material characterized by the desired `transparency as well as toughness and flexibility, and is readily sealed, as by high frequency.

Further in accordance with the invention, means are provided for coupling or connecting my novel grasping dev-ice to apparatus for subjecting the limb to desired 1ongitudinal pull or traction. Such coupling or connecting means may comprise a relatively wide loop or strap 20, joined to the bag 10 at the bottom wall 17 opposite to top opening 11. The strap 20 is desirably fashioned of the same material as the bag, and may be integral with or fused to one or the otherof its walls 12, 13. Further, the strap 20 is adapted to receive a link, loop or the like connecting means 21 of the traction apparatus, not shown.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the articleholding device of the invention is simple and certain in operation. The bag or envelope is first applied to the in- Patented May 13, 1958 which 'may be expelled from the mouth is suflicient. Any convenient manner of applying the desired iluid pressure may, of course, be adopted; l`a`v suitable means would be a bulb such as used on a sphygmomanometer. As the .envelope 'andmore particularlyth chamber 14 Tis inl. ated by the pressure build-np, the inner bag wall`12 will collapse and press gently buttirinly and also uniformly and universally about and against. the linb. It'willbe seen that by reason of this unifdrm and universal or all'- around application of pressure; excessive lunitloading of any part of the limb or foot is avoided', Moreover, and

by reason of the aforementioned transparency of the de-v vice, the limb may be observed at any and all times, and

discoloration suchas signifying dangerous impairment' of circulation readily detected.' The tube 19' isnow closed,.

sealed, or tied 'ojand the desired pulling force or traction applied to the link ZI, Astrap and bagl.' It will'be readily appreciated that by reason of the uniform pressure application and the substantially greater area of vcontact by which my novel deviceis distinguished, Va considerable and adequate tractive force may be applied to the limb without discomfort or injury to th same.

From the foregoing it willbe appreciated that I have provided an improved article-grasping and holding device adapted in a disclosed embodiment to holding limbs and` the likepressure-sensitive members, and .effecting `desired safe, low-pressure seizure of such members by a gentle but'firm clamping uniformly' and universally about and without discomfort or injury to the-same. The invention has been shown further to be characterized by a compact, inexpensive, lightwcight'and durable kconstruction and by a simplicityand certainty of operation.

It will be understood that myinvention, either as to means or method, is not limited to the exemplary embodiments herein illustrated and described, and I set forth its ing to receive thebody member, saidV envelope formed by flexible plastic sheets juxtaposed and sealed to fit around the body member, meansincluding a communicating tube for inating the envelope, and meansfor coupling the enf velope to a tensioningdevice for applying traction to said body member.

3. A limb-grasping device comprising a ilexible, collapsible double-walled envelope formed of tough transparent plastic sheets juxtaposed and sealed to fit around the extremity of the limb, said` envelope having its opposite inner Walls joined except for an opening through which said limb extremity may be introduced, means including an entrant tube sealed between said sheets and for inflating the envelope, and connector means on said envelope and adapting it for engagement'by a traction device.

4. A limb-graspingadevice comprising a flexible, collapsible double-walled envelope having an opening to receive and shaped andproportioned to tit around the extremity of the limb, said envelope formed by inner and outer sheets joined to define therebetween a sealed, variable-volume chamber,"meansforsupplying pressure iluid to said chamber and for pressing its inner wall gently but firmly against the limb, and strap means integrally extcnsive of said envelope and for coupling to a traction device...

5. Apparatus for-'coupling 4aztraction device to a bodymember comprising a flexible, collapsible inelastic bag having an. opening to receive and adapted to t around the body,` member, said baghaving inner vand outer walls defining therebetween a variable-volume chamber, means for pressurizing thechamber and seizing said inner wall uniformly about and yto said body member, and a strap integrally joined to said bag opposite said opening and adapted for attaching to the traction device.

6. An articlefholding device` comprising aflexible collapsible' envelope Iformed of a tough transparent plastic materialand having inner andl outer walls defining therebetweenl a Lvariable volume. chamber, said envelope shaped and formed conformantly to and with an opening for receiving the article; means including a communicating tube passed between andsealed to said walls and for intlating.

theenvelope, and connector means projecting opposite said opening. and fitting said envelope-for coupling to a support.

7. A limb grasping device comprising a doubley walled envelope formed ofopposed flexible inelastic sheets folded andsealed along margins fitting it to the limb and except at an openingybetweensthe opposite leaves of the inner wall through which said limb maybe introduced, an inating tubesealed between said sheets, and connector means on said envelope and for coupling it to a device for applying traction to theextremityv of said limb.

ReferencesCited. in the iileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

